Method and apparatus for vaporizing and distributing hydrocarbon fuels



Feb. 23, 1954 W. w. DICK 2,669,847

METHOD AND APPARATUSFDR vAP ZING AND I DISTRIBUTING HYDROCARBO UELS 3Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 29, 195o INVENTOR. Wad@ BY Feb. 23, 1954 W. w.DICK 2,669,847

METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR vAPoRIzING AND DISTRIBUTING HYDROCARBON FUELSFiled Deo. 29, 195o .1 ,0 w w 5 m) W O M H o 67 w. .m W f W A w @A f 5o. Y o D o ,a W M w WWW D 43D/ QW D@ 9 D @D E wf E all 5 Sheets-Sheet 3FOR VAPORIZING A amaai-.5

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W. W. DICK PARATUS DISTRIBUTING HYDROCARBON FUELS 7 INVENTOR.

BY www, d fR/VFY 7 Wad@ Patented Feb. 23, 1954 2,669,847 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR VAPORIZ- ING FUELS AND DISTRIBUTING HYDRDCARBON Wade W.Dick, Shreveport, La. Application December 29, 1950, Serial No. 203,275

13 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to gas distributing systems and moreparticularly to.an improved method and apparatus for reliablydistributing such gases as butane and propane for industrial purposes.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a gas distributionsystem which will reliably distribute such gases as butano, propane,etc., without the use of float mechanisms conventionally employed foroperation of valves 111-' tended for cutting off the flow of liquid ifand when the main burner fails.

Another object ci my invention is to provide a gas distribution systemhaving a reliable arrangement of cut off valve which becomes instantlyeffective to cut ofi the flow of the liquid hydrocarbon externally ofthe vaporizer if and when the main burner of the vaporizer iails foreliminating danger of explosion due to continuous now of the hydrocarbonafter a cut off temperature has been reached.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a method oivaporizing such hydrocarbons as butano or propane which comprisespassing the liquid hydrocarbon through a confined path subject to atemperature of approximately 200 F. for vaporizing the liquidhydrocarbon and distributing the vapor to the consuming system.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved method ofvaporizing liquidJ hydrocarbon which involves passing the liquidhydrocarbon from a storage position through a tank subject to transferof heat from a liquid having an extremely high boiling point for rapidlythe temperature of liquid hy-` drocarbon to a condition of vaporizationand facilitating distribution of the vapor, the entire process civaporization being carried out through control means which does notinvolve any form of control valve subject to all of the inherent`-conditions of operation of such valves often leading to operationfailure with resulting damage :from and explosion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction ofvaporizing unit for hydrocarbon such lontane and propane in which theunit includes a gaseous fuel burner operative for heating a boiler unitcontaining liquid oi' rela tively high boiling point within which thereis submerged a chamber through which the liquid hydrocarbon is passedfor elevating the temperature thereof and generating vapor fordistribution to the consuming system.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a system forvaporizing lontane, propane and other similar hydrocarbons anddistributing the same including temperature controlled safety means bywhich excess vaporizcd gas may be recovered for reuse in the system forinsuring the economic operation of the gaseous distribution system andminimum loss of the hydrocarbon.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in an arrangement ofimproved valve mechanism for automatically insuring a high condition ofsafety to a hydrocarbon gaseous distributing system as set forth morefully in the specification by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the vaporizer and gaseousdistributing system of my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalView` taken through the vaporizer of my invention and illustratingparticularly the manner in which the liquid hydrocarbon is passedthrough a submerged tank Within the boiler which contains the liquid oihigh temperature boiling point; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewtaken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view of theautomatic control valve by which the now of hydrocarbon to the submergedtank is controlled in accordance with conditions oi temperature adjacentthe submerged tank; Fig. 5 is a iragmen tary cross sectional view oi thevalve mechanism by which the system is economically operated bypermitting recovery of excess hydrocarbon for reuse in the vaporizersystem; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on line6--6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through a modinedform of vaporizer embodying the principles of my invention andillustrating the method of passing hydrocarbon therethrough without theemployment of any form of float valve which has proven so dangerous inoperation in vaporizer systems Where hydrocarbon has continued to flowafter a condition of essential cut oil has been reached; Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional view taken substantially on line ii-B of Fig. 7;Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upperportion of the submerged vaporizer tank; Fig. 10 is a cross sectionalview taken through the safety valve that controls the flow of liquidhydrocarbon to the submerged tank in accordance `with temperatureconditions adjacent the submerged tank; and Fig 11 shows ne principle cimy invention as applied to a variable temperature system oi any kind andi utilized to control a supply of liquid hydrocarbon.

My invention provides a vaporizer for butano or propane and the like inwhich a flame is di- -rested upon receptacle or submerged tank conunevaporizing van muiddrops below-1l00 @F iva-ive automatically :snaps shutand fa im taining a high boiling point liquid or chemical such asPrestone, as a heat transfer liquid raism ing the temperature of same toapproximately 200 F. By the term high boiling point l mean anytemperature that is substantially aoove 212 F., the boiling point ofWater. submerged in this bath of hot liquid there are a number of highpressuretuhes `carrying vthe liquid outaneor propaneand 4the like to bevaporized by the absorption of heat from the hot liquid bath. After theliquid butane or propane and the like has absorbed enough heat from `thehot bath-to become a vapor it then passes on 'through antad- `iulstablehigh pressure regulator to Whatever device or burners that is to consumethe vapo" l rized gas.

The main burner naine and-,safety cutoff YiS- of the conventionalapproved type used on liquied petroleum gas devices. VA pipe line is-provided carrying vapor from a storage tank. This Vapor isalsoldirected into the high pressure ivaporizing tubes through 4a metering.aperturerfin the pipe llinewhich ley-passes a highvpressurerswingcheckvalve. This metering aperture-is provided :for

the purpose of initially feeding vapor to supply the vaporizing burneroi the 4device `when `first putting the vaporizerinto operation. Laterafter the operation cycle is initiated and should the Avaporizingcapacity exceed the requirements yof the-burners at the dry kilnforcotton dryer,.the-

excess vaporized gas will `ovv backto the butane storageztank through`the previously `mentioned swing check valve; thus permitting a largevolumevof gas to .now Aback to said tank-but only .asmallfamountoi gas.todlow from the tank tc-'f mathe lvaporizer fthrough the meteringaperture.

The jacket which surrounds the heater is Ainsulated and the burned gasestravel around and upward and exhaust themselves through small stacksextending through the bath. The stacks may be provided with damperscontrolled by a bi-lmetal strip thermostat so that when the .burner cutsoff the dampers will automatically close, ythereby conserving the heat Ywithin v the `vaporizer 4jacket :and vaporizing liquid and increasingtheefliciency of the system.

Ireretofore conventional industrial vaporizers have required a iioat andvali/'e arrangement `inside of a pressure -vessel containing liquid,hutane toybe vaporized. rThis iloat and .valve lis for the purpose ofshutting off or prohibiting `the entry-of liquidbutane in the ca seof -aIbinner vfailure inthe vaporizer,-Which would lresult in `aliquid'butane passing on through the--vaporizing Chamber and on into thevapor .line going to the various industrial driers. ASuchaccidentalexcess supply offuel ,could cause a serious reor explosion.-flhe system of my inventionemploys a special vvalve which automaticallycuts orf the v'liquidabuteme outside the vaporizerifand :when

:there isaburner failurein,thavaporizen In my system, .should avaporizer 'burner fail. the liquid y.invthe rvaporizer vat vloeiiris,OICOOl-,Off du@ '130 ,the

absorption of -heat by Vthe liquid butanepassing throughqthe heatingmedium. When thispcoursA -ithe special precalibrated autQinatiocutofivalve -closes by automatic spring action, vthus v prohibit ing any moreouta-ne liquid from entering the .vaporizeruntil lthe f vaporizer`burr-1er `trouble is corrected. This valve is so designed ,thatanytemperature from 100?. upward will'hold the valve in an A openpositiongduetoqa temperature .bulbarrangement. Butfwhen ihetemperature fthe through pipe 8 leading vence character I designates the storage tankfor liquid hydrocarbon such as butane or propane which tank is suitablyerected on standards 2 extending upwardly from foundation 3. The

jtank is provided with a filling aperture Il normally closed byfavsuitable cap. The liquid hydrocarbon is returned to tank l through pipe5 conneo-ted `with safety hand valve f5 connected through'pipea with thespecial out oli valve l of my invention. The cut off valve 'l connectsto the bottom of the submerged tank 9 in the vaporizer shown generallyatjl'l). Thesubmerged tank V9 .is vmaintained on .a level above thenormal hydrocarbon .level in Storage tank l sothat excesshydrocarbonniay drain ythrough pipe 3 and cut ofi valve 1 )and the openmanually controlled valve y5 to the storage tank i, when conditionsoftemperature Aas determined by thermostat li so requires.

The submerged tank 9 isof speciallconstructionfor obtaining Vmaximumsurface area for rimparting heat to the hydrocarbonand effecting rapidvaporization thereof. The submergedftank 9 consists of a cylindricalbody structure shown .more clearly in Fig., 3 with recessed .centrallydisposed pockets i2 and it in eachendthereof.

Thesepockets l2 and i4 are ,in the nature of reentrant portionsin-thecylindrical submerged tank forming pockets Afor'lleving the thermostatsil and l5. The submerged tank 4il is mounted in spaced relation to theopposite side walls I6 and Hof thevaporizer lfand adjacent the angularlyinclined bottornyvalls t8 and i9 ,which extend downwardly into-theburnersection 2li `oi' the vaporizer. The side Walls i6 and l1 andthebottom vWalls i8 and i9 comprise a vat closed at opposite ends by endvWalls 2i and 22 A which contains the liquid of high boilingpoint vinwhich the tank is submerged as represented `at .2 3. The vat is providedWith-upwardly extendingfliuesll and ZE-interrnediate the exteriorVsurface vof thesubmerged tank 9 and the side walls .iB and VIl' rofthevaporizer. These dues 26 and 25 extend Aupwardly in the centralportionofthe vaporizer I@ and terminate interiorly of sleevamembers 26 and 2lthat depend down- Wardly Ifrom the removable top it of the.passiuefthroush the .111185-24 and 12%.

The vat is heated bybu-rners represented at 30 .and 3|'.10catedywithin.the pase `0f the-varorizer and distributed symmetricallyv'on oppositesides of thecentral apex portion 32 Aof the vat and in :positions whereV.the gaseous .flame strikes the 4outwardly'directed surfaces I8 and I9enabling theynainegto travel upwardly and throughlihe -fluesi2f and 25.Thus, the maximum amount of heat is transferred to the body of fluid`inthe vat. The inside Walls of the vaporizer are proyteoted by heatresisting material which I have represented atv. Airis admitted to theburner section through ports 34 ,provided inthe side ,w 11s-:andenes oftneramrizer- .access tothe @rior -of :the vapcrizer ffor ,maintenanceand a een The burners 30 and 3| are supplied with gas through pipe line35 connected in series with the 100% out off valve 56 having a pilotconnection through pipe line 31 to the pilot light t8 arranged adjacentthe burners 3l! and 3i. Gas is supplied to the pilot burner passage line31 and the valve 35 through pipe til which extends into a valve housingl0 in which there is located a snap action thermostatic valve controlledby thermostat i5. The valve housing d connects through the reducingregulator represented at li! which reduces the gas pressure from poundsto ounces and is supplied with gas from the gas distribution line 42.

The gas distribution line #it extends from onev end or the top of thesubmerged tank i as represented at 45S. The other end of the top of thesubmerged tanh Q is prov ided with a connection it which extends throughthe by-pass hydrof carbon supply line :l5 and through the check valve itto the pipe line t1 and valve til and to the hydrocarbon fuel storagetank i. The check valve it the hyepass hydrocarbon supply line 45 areshown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 as including connections for pipesit and d1 between which the by-pass hydrocarbon supply line 45 extends.The valve it includes an interiorly arranged. cylindrical valve seat 4tadiacent the top of which thecheck valve plate 5@ is pivotally mountedso that passage line bl is normally sealed by gravitation of plate titiagainst seat 49 at approximately 45, but wherein excessive pressure inpipe line ill may raise plate Eil allowing excessive quantities or fuelto be returned to the storage tank i. The interior of check valve 46 maybe inspected through removable plug 5! in the top of the check valvehousing. by-pass supply line l5 includes the manually controlled shutoff valve dit, the coupling 53 and the connection 5d to the pipe linelil which allows a selected size oriiice plate te to be inserted in orremoved from the oyepess supply line 45. For the most enicientfunctioning of different sys- I have found that diferent sized oriceplates 55 may be utilised.

The control valve is shawn in association with the teinperatareccntrolled valve in Figs. 4 and lo. The thermostat i l is ci the bulbtype which is charged with an expandable contractable solution. confinedwithin a flexible pipe which is protected hy the iievible sheathingrepresented a`VL it .and which. to the Sylphon bellows housing mountedon the housing 58. The r housing encioses th lve operating linkage whichincludes the sp biased rocher arm 59 pivotally n'iouuted and ccnnectedat one end with the pl Fei leading to the Sylphon bellows mechanism inthe Sylphon bellows housing iii. The rocher arm te is integrallyconnected with downwardly extending latching member 62 which is hooi:shaped in contour for engaging a transverse pin 53 carried by theslotted head (i4 cn. the upwardiy projecting stem t5 of a diaphragmvalve et located interiorly of the housoi out off vali/e l. The slottedhead dit also provides connection means for the lever t1 which ispivotally connected at with the head til and is journalled at Sh inhousing 58. Lever 61 is connected at one end through coil spring 59 withnection point lil inside the housing t8. The lever projects at its otherend through a slot 'il in housing 5S so that the protruding end 'I2 Y ofthe lever 61 may be engaged by a pull chain or link 13 for enabling thevalve to be .manually actuated in the event that automatic operationshould fail. The diaphragm valve 6B includes spring means 14 normallyoperating to urge valve 't into engagement with the annular valve seatmounted interiorly of the housing of the cutoli valve 1 for controllingthe passage of hydrocarbon between pipes 6a and 8, It will be noted thatpacking may be eliminated around the valve stem 65 by reason of thediaphragm construction represented at 16 which is flexible enough topermit up and down travel of the valve but which prevents leakage fromthe interior of the valve housing around the stem 65. i

Heretofore I have described my invention as directed to a horizontallyarranged installation. My invention is accordingly applicable to asystem employing a vertically arranged installation as illustrated inFigs. 7-9.

In this arrangement I provide a vertical extending vaporizer designatedgenerally at 11 having a lower fuel burner compartment 181 and an uppertank compartment 19 containing the liquid of high boiling point such asPrestone" shown at 861. The compartment 13 is provided with a.multiplicity of spaced vertically extending ilues shown at 8l, B2, 33and 84 which extend from the fuel burner compartment 18 and through theliquid of high boiling point 8B and project in stacks at the top ofcompartment 19 as represented in Fig. 7 as indicated at 8|a, 82a and83a. Suitable stack covers are provided at the upper extremities of thestacks as represented at 8| a', 32a and 83a.

submerged within the liquid of high boiling point shown at 80, I providean interiorly disposed liquid hydrocarbon tank represented at having abottom reentrant portion 86 and a transverse flue portion 81. The lowerend of the tank 85 is connected with the hydrocarbon fuel supply pipe 88corresponding to the pipe 8 in the arrangement of my invention shown inFigs. 1-6. The control for 'this hydrocarbon fuel supply line isidentical with the control previously described including the thermostatl I, the expandable and contractable liquid line 56, the Sylphon bellowsmechanism in Sylphon bellows housing 51, the valve control mechanism inhousing 58 and the cut-off valve 1 which connects to pipe line 6a. Theend of thermostat l l extends into the transverse passage 81 in the tank85. The oppositely arranged thermostat l5 corresponding to the similarlynumbered thermostat in the previously described form of my invention isalso arranged in the transverse passage 81 and extends outwardly beyondcompartment 19 for controlling the snap thermostat valve in housing 40as previously explained. The balance of the gaseous heating burnermechanism is the same as previously explained; that is, a main burnerpath 9 is supplied with gas through pipe line 35 which connects to the109% cut-ohc valve in housing 36 which also provides a connection to thepilot light 38 through pipe line 31. Pipe line 39 which connects toloof/*5 cut-olii valve 3% extends through the snap thermostat housingdil and through the reducing regulator il to the gaseous fueldistribution line l2 which connects to the top of the l hydrocarbon tank85 as represented at 90. The

i'iydrocarbcn supply line #ld previously described includes the samecheck. valve it and by-pass system 45 as previously described andconnects at 9i to the top of the hydrocarbon tank 85. The surfacing ofthe vertical structure installationgis below the level in said tank iorcontrolling the supply oi liquid hydrocarbon to said tank concurrentlywith the vaporization and distribution thereof to said distributing`pipe line.

l 2. A gas generating and distributing system comprising a vaporizerdivided into upper and lower compartments one above the other, the uppercompartment providin'-T an enclosure for enclosing a fluid, the fluidhaving a boiling point substantially above 212 F. the lower compartmentcontaining a gaseous burner for directing a gas flame on said uppercompartment, a container for hydrocarbon disposed within said uppercompartment in a position substantially covered by the iiuid within saidupper compartment, a supply tank for hydrocarbon, connectionsbetw'eensaid supply tank and the aforesaid container, a gas distribution pipeextending from said container, a tap connection between said gasdistribution pipe and said gaseous fuel burner and thermostatic meanssubmerged in said upper compartment for regulating the quantity ofhydrocarbon supplied from said hydrocarbon supply tank to the containersubmerged within the huid in the upper compartment.

3. il. gas generating and distributing system as set forth in claim 2which includes a multiplicity of heat distributing nues opening intosaid lower compartment and extending through the fluid in said uppercompartment for transferring heat to the fluid at locations immediatelyadjacent the container and facilitating the vaporiaation of thehydrocarbon for delivery to said gas distribution pipe.

4. A gas generating and distributing' as set forth in claim 2 in whichthe container submerged in the fluid in the upper compartment issubstantially cylindrical and is indented in at least one end thereoffor providing a pocket for the fluid in said upper compartment andwherein the control means for controlling the supply of hydrocarbon tothe submerged container extends into the indentation in the end of thecontainer.

5. .e gas generating and distributing system set forth 2 in which thecontainer submerged in the fluid in the upper compartment issubstantially cylindrical and is indented at opposite ends for providingpockets for the fluid in the upper compartment and wherein control meansextend into both of the indentations through the luid in said uppercompartment, one oi said control means operating to determine the nowfrom said gas distribution pipe to the fuel burner beneath said uppercompartment while the other of said control means operates to regulatethe guantity of hydrocarbon supplied to the container submerged in theiiuid in said upper compartment.

6. gas generating and distributing system as set forth in claim 2 inwhich said upper compartment includes fiues which extend from openingsleading into said lower compartment to discharge ports above said uppercompartment, the said container which is submerged in the system fluidin said upper compartment extending on a horizontal axis between saidlines.

7. A gas generating and distributing system as set forth in claim 2 inwhich the container for hydrocarbon extends on a vertical axis withinsaid upper compartment in which hydrocarbon iuel connections are made tothe upper and lower portions of the container and in which the gasdistribution line connects with the upper portion of the container.

3. A gas generating and distributing system including a vaporioerconstituted by upper and lower compartments with the lower compartmenthousing gaseous iuel burners and the upper compartment comprising anenclosure for iiuid, in which the huid has a boiling point substantiallyabove 212 F. of the order of 10o F., the enclosure formed by said uppercompartment terminating in a bottom structure formed by plates extendingdownwardly at an angle to each other with the juncture of the platesmeeting in an apex located above the gaseous iuel burners for spreadingthe name from the gaseous fuel burners and directing the same upwardly,ilues extending vertically through said upper compartment from openingsin the said plates above said lower compartment and discharging throughports at the top of said upper compartment, a. container for hydrocarbonfuel disposed in said upper compartment and submerged in the fluidtherein between the said flues and immediately above the apex liunctureof said plates, hydrocarbon fuel connections to the top and bottom ofsaid submerged container adjacent one end thereof and a gaseous fueldistributing pipe line connected adjacent the other end of saidsubcontainer.

9. A gas generating and distributing system as set forth in claim 8which includes a storage tank for hydrocarbon fuel connected with theconnections leading to the first mentioned end of the containersubmerged in said upper compartment and means in each of saidconnections for regulating the flow of hydrocarbon with respect to thesaid tank.

l0. A gas generating and distributing system las set forth in claim 8including a storage tank for hydrocarbon fuel, connections extendingfrom said storage tank to each of the hydrocarbon fuel connectionsleading to the top and bottom of one end of said submerged container, ametering valve in one of said connections and a temperature controlledvalve in the other of said connections, said temperature controlledvalve being operative in accordance with the temperature of the fluid insaid upper compartment.

11. A gas generating and distributing system as set forth inclaim 8 inwhich a storage tank for hydrocarbon fuel is provided with a pair ofconnections leading to the hydrocarbon fuel connections on the containersubmerged in the i'luid in said upper compartment, a temperaturecontrolled valve disposed in one of said connections and operative inaccordance with the temperature of the uid in the upper compartment, apressure operated unidirectional valve located in the other of saidconnections, a by-pass path for gas connected around said unidirectionalvalve in said last mentioned connection and a metering valve in saidby-pass connection.

l2. A gas generating and distributing system including a vaporiaerhaving upper and lower compartments, the upper compartment comprising anenclosure for iuid having a boiling point substantially above 212 F. andsaid lower compartment includinga gaseous fuel burner, a multiplicityo-iiues extending through said upper compartment and discharging above`the. top thereof and openingv into said lower compartment for directingheat from said gaseous fuel burner therethrough for facilitating theheatingofthe fluid in said upper compartment, a container forhydrocarbon suspended vertically within said upper compartment betweensaid flues, a transverse ue extendingn diametrically through saidcontainer, connections for hydrocarbon adjacent both the upper and lowerends of said container on opposite sides of said transverse iiue, aconnection with the upper end of said container for distributing gastherefrom and thermostatic means extending through said uppercompartment and into the transverse iiue in said submerged container forcontrolling.' the supply of hydrocarbon to said submerged container andthe by-passing of part of the gas from said hydrocarbon container to thegaseous fuel burner for heating the liquid in which said hydrocarboncontainer is submerged.

13. A system for converting liquid hydrocarbons into gaseous fuels fordistribution to a consuming load comprising a storage tank, a vaporizerincluding a vat for enclosing a uid having aboiling point substantiallyabove 212 F., a hydrocarbon container submerged in the uid in said Vat,aga-seous; fuel burner located in said l2 vaporizer beneath. said vat; agaseous fuel` dis.- tribution pipe line connected with one end of saidhydrocarbon container, connections from thev other end' of saidhydrocarbonA container to said'. storage tank, one of said connectionsin.- cluding a. pivoted plate valve gravitationallyr disposed. against aseat extending approximately tothevertical and operative to be displacedfrom` its seat when pressure in, said hydrocarbon, container exceeds-thepressure in said storage:4 tank for returning the hydrocarbon to saidstorage tank; and in which. the connection that includes said pivotedplate: valve also contains a.l shunt pipe,A connection` around saidpiyoted plate valve wherein the shunt pipe connection contains ameteringorice and a manually con,- trollable valve whereby a path forhydrocarbon beV maintained around said, pivoted plate valve extendingvbetween said storageA tankv and said, hydrocarbon; container.

WADE Wi DICK.

References Cited in the le of this patent. UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,891,534 Gray Dec. 20, 1932 2,532,97O` Faucher V v Sept.2l',V 1943 2,348,546 Kercher May 9,11944 25354932 Walker etal. 1e Aug.1, 1944 2,506,721 1950

